Gravity operated reversing whirling toy



'Dec- 1956 A. FRAENKEL ETAL 2,773,328

GRAVITY OPERATED REVERSING WHIRLING TOY Filed Feb. 20, 1953 III- 320 INVENTQRS HLEXQNDER FRHENKEL HUGUSTE RI ETSCH 364 BY ATTORNEY GRAVITY OPERATED REVERSING WHIRLING TOY Alexander Fraenkel and Auguste Rietsch, New York, N. Y.

Application February 20, 1953, Serial No. 338,108

Claims. (CI. 46-61) This invention relates to mechanical toys, and more particularly to gravity operated reversing whirling toys.

Gravity operated reversing toys of the hitherto customary type comprise a string and a rotatable body element attached to one end of the latter. In use, the rotatable body element is caused to descend and climbon the string by proper manipulation of the latter. Inexperienced persons and quite often children encounter difliculties in causing the rotatable body element to climb on the string after its descent.

An object of this invention is to provide a gravity oper- =ated reversing toy of above described type with means assisting in the start of a climbing movement of the rotatable body element after its descent, so that the manipulation of the toy is greatly facilitated.

Another object of the invention is to improve on the construction of gravity operated reversing toys as now customarily made.

Other objects and structural details of the invention will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings forming part of this application, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational View, partly in section, of "a toy according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of a detail of the toy shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of a difierent embodiment of a detail of the toy shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 6 is a side elevational view of the detail shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a sectional view of a different embodiment of a toy according to the invention,

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view of another embodiment of a toy according to the invention, and

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig. 8.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, 23 generally indicates a rotatable body element comprising a pair of spaced disk-like members 22 and 24 rigidly connected with each other by .a center pin 26 inserted into bores 28 and 30 of said disk-like members 22 and 24. The lower end 32 of a string 34 of resilient material, for example an elastic, is inserted into the bore 28 of the disk-like member 22 together with the center pin 26, whereby said elastic string 34 is attached to the rotatable body element 20.

The upper end of the elastic 34 is connected with the lower end of a string 36 of non-elastic material in the following manner: As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the upper end of the elastic string 34 and the lower end of the non-elastic string 36 overlap each other. A split connecting sleeve 38 of rigid material, for example metal, embraces said overlapping ends of the elastic string 34 and the non-elastic string 36 tightly pressing same to gether. The upper end of the non-elastic string or cord 36 is connected to an element 40 rotatably engaged with a ball-like body 42. Said ball-like body 42, in turn, is rotatably engaged with a handle 44.

States Patent 0 The toy may be operated in the following manner: At first the flexible means 34, 36 is wound around the center pin 26, so that the rotatable body element 20 is near to the handle 44. Upon release of the body element 20 the latter will descend on said flexible means 34, 36 by gravitation until the flexible means is entirely unwound from the center pin 26. During said unwinding operation the resilient portion 34 of the flexible means 34, 36 is 'tensioned whereby a force is created which acts on the body element 20 upon the unwinding thereof for assisting in the creation of a rotational momentum returning the body element substantially to the starting position by causing same to climb on the flexible means 34, 36. Said action of the resilient portion 34 facilitates to a great extent the manipulation of the toy as it eliminates the possibility of the body element 20 remaining in its dead position when it is entirely unwound from the flexible means 34, 36 and if the person playing with the toy does not exert a pull on the flexible means 34, 36 'at the proper time. The joint 40, 42 between the string 36 and the handle 44 permits a rotation of the string around its axis whereby an undesired twisting thereof is eliminated.

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a different kind of connection between the elastic 134 and the cord 136. The elastic 134 is folded over so as to form a loop 148. The cord 136 being threaded through the loop 148 of the elastic 134 is likewise folded over so as to form a loop 150. The end (not shown) of the elastic 134 is attached to the rotatable body element of the toy and the end (not shown) of the cord 136 is connected with the handle of the toy or a joint of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2 arranged on the handle of the toy. Preferably the loops 148 and 150 of the elastic 134 and the cord 136 are cemented to each other by an adhesive 152.

According to the embodiment shown in Fig. 7, an elastic 234 is placed between string portions 236 and 237. The ends of the elastic 234 are connected with the strings 236 and 237 by connecting sleeves 238. The string 237 is attached to the body element 220. The string 236 is connected with a ring-shaped handle 245.

The toy shown in Fig. 7 may be operated in the same manner as the toy shown in Figs. 1-4. The elastic 234 being 'tensioned during the unwinding of the body element 220 tends to initiate a rotating movement of the latter after it reaches its lowest position.

According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9 again the body element 320 comprises two disk-like members 322 and 324 rigidly connected with each other by a center pin 326. In this case however the flexible means comprises a string 336 of non-elastic material. The lower end 354 of said string 336 is attached to the body element 326 by insertion into the bore 330 of the disk 324. The upper end (not shown) of the string 336 may be connected with a handle.

The disk-like member 322 has a cavity 356 at its inner side and a casing 358 having a center bore 369 being arranged in said cavity 356 is freely rotatable relative to the center pin 326 and the dislclike member 322 rigidly connected therewith. A helical spring 362 is arranged within the casing 358. As best shown in Fig. 9 one end 364 of said spring 362 is engaged with a recess 366 of the center pin 326. The other end 363 of said spring 362 is rigidly connected with the casing 358 by a rivet 370 or the like. An engaging element 372 rigidly connected with the casing 358, by soldering for example, projects from the casing into the space between the disklike members 322, 324. According to the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9 said engaging member 372 is made of a wire having a bent end forming a hook 374. Said hook 374 is slideably engaged with the string 336.

When the body element 320 rotates during its descent it str ng. 1 he as 8.. is nter t di m a rot ion by the engaging element 372 engaged with the string 336. Therefore, as one end 364 of the helical spring3621sconnectedwith the rotating centerg pin 326 an t eq h n 6 or Spring i 2iifi i t dflw t the stationary casing 358, the spring 362 is tensi ncd .during the descent of the rotatable body element 320. flihereforepwhen the body element 320 reaches its lowermost position, the spring 352 causes a rotation of the body element 326 for initiating the climbing thereof on a i s 6- .5

Nye have described preferred embodiments of our invention but it is understood that this disclosure is for the p urpose of illustration, and that various omissions orfchanges in shape, proportion and arrangement of pau es well as the: substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described may be made withoutdepartingin any way from the spirit and scope of this' invention as set forth in the appended claims. 7 For example different kinds of connections could be used for connecting the elastic 34 and the string 36.

Moreover it would be possible to attach the nonelastic string 'to the rotatable body element and the elastic to a handle or the like.

7 Furthermore the resilient means of theembodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9 could be replaced by a different kind of resilient means.

'What we claim is:

1. In a gravity operated whirling toy, the combination of: a rotatable body element including a pair of spaced disk-like members and a center pin rigidly con necting same with each other, a string attached to said body element and adapted to be unwound from and Wound on said center" pin whereby said body element will unwind downwardly on said string by gravitation and climb thereon by rewinding through its own rotational momentum, a helical spring wound around said center pin, and means at one end of said helical spring for engagement with said string, the other end of said helical spring being in connection with said center pin whereby said helical spring is tensioned during the unwinding of said body element so as to create a force acting on said body element upon the unwinding thereof for assisting in the creation of a rotational momentum forthe' subsequent climbing of the body element on' said string.

2. In a gravity operated whirling toy, the combination of: a rotatable body element including a pair of spaced disk-like members and a center pin rigidly connecting same with each other, a string attached to said body element and adapted to be unwound from and wound on said center pin whereby said body element will unwinddownwardly on said string by gravitation and climb thereon by rewinding through its ownrotational momenturn, :a helical spring wound around said center pin, one end of said helical spring being connected with said center pin, and an engaging member connected with the other end of said helical spring, said engaging member being slidably engaged with said string whereby said helical spring is tensioned daring the unwinding of said body element so as to create a force'actingon'soid body element upon the unwinding thereof for assisting in the creation of a rotational momentum for the subsequent 'ng of the body element on said string.

3. In a gravity operated whirling toy as claimed in claim 2, one of said disk-like members having acavity :at its inner side, said helical spring being arranged within said cavity, and said engaging member projecting from said cavity.

4. In a gravity operated whirling toy, the combination of: a rotatable body element including a pair of spaced disk-like members and a center pin rigidly connecting same with each other, a string attached to said body element and adapted to be unwound from and wound on said center pin whereby said body element will unwind downwardly on said string by gravitation and climb thereon by rewinding through its own rotational momenturn, a casing freely rotatable on said center pin, a helicalspring wound around said center pin and arranged within said casing, one end of said helical spring being connected with said center pin, the other end of said helical spring being connected with said casing, and an engaging member secured to said casing, said engaging member beingslidably engaged with said string whereby said helical spring is tensio-ned during the unwinding of said body element so as to create a force acting on. said body element upon the unwinding thereof for assisting in the creation of a rotational momentum for the subsequent climbing of the body element on said string.

5. in a gravity operated whirling toy as claimed in claim 4, one o-f said disk-like members having a cavity at its inner side, said casingbeing arranged within said cavity, and said engaging member projecting from said cavity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 207,527 Km AugQ27, r878 368,499 Teichman Aug. 16, 1,887

1,529,179 Hammel Mar. 10, 1925 2,517,849 DeVincent et al. Aug. 8, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS 764,546 France Mar. 5, 1934 

